Just like the previous decade, the decade ahead, waves of exponential technological advancements are stacking atop one another, eclipsing decades of breakthroughs in scale and impact. Emerging from these waves are 20 “metatrends” likely to revolutionize entire industries (old and new), redefine tomorrow’s generation of businesses and contemporary challenges, and transform our livelihoods from the bottom up.
GLOBAL ABUNDANCE
This metatrend is driven by the digitization of everyday goods and products by the convergence of high-bandwidth and low-cost communication, ubiquitous Al on the cloud, and growing access to Al-aided education and Al-driven healthcare.
5G – GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY & LOWER COSTS
This metatrend is driven by the deployment of both licensed and unlicensed 5G by the convergence of low-cost space launches, hardware advancements, 5G networks, artificial intelligence, materials science, and surging computing power.
INCREASE IN HUMAN LIFE BY 10+ YEARS
Changing biotech and pharmaceutical solutions and Al-based drug candidates ready for clinical trials by the convergence of genome sequencing, CRISPR technologies, Al, quantum computing, and cellular medicine.
INCREASING ACCESS TO CAPITAL EVERYWHERE
Already, $300 billion in crowdfunding is anticipated by 2025, democratizing capital access for entrepreneurs worldwide. This metatrend is driven by the convergence of global connectivity, dematerialization, demonetization, and democratization.
AUGMENTED REALITY AND THE SPATIAL WEB
The combination of augmented reality (yielding Web 3.0, or the spatial web) and 5G networks will transform how we live our everyday lives. Consumers will play, learn, and shop throughout the day in a newly intelligent, virtually overlaid world.
EVERYTHING IS SMART, EMBEDDED WITH INTELLIGENCE
With the development of low-cost machine-learning chips, the explosion in the manufacturing of low-cost microscopic sensors, deployment of high-bandwidth networks, and new ways to implement Al in our everyday lives.
Al WILL ACHIEVE HUMAN-LEVEL INTELLIGENCE
As predicted by technologist and futurist Ray Kurzweil, artificial intelligence will reach human-level performance this decade (by 2030). . This metatrend will be driven by the convergence of global high-bandwidth connectivity, neural networks, and cloud computing.
Al-HUMAN COLLABORATION IN ALL PROFESSIONS
The rise of “Al as a Service” (Alaas) platforms will enable humans to partner with Al in every aspect of their life. Als will become entrenched in everyday business operations, serving as cognitive collaborators to employees, tackling previously unattainable innovations.
JARVIS LIKES A.I TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE
As services like Alexa, Google Home, etc. expand in functionality, such services will eventually become your cognitive prosthetic. Imagine a secure JARVIS-like software shell that you permit to listen to all your conversations, read your email, monitor your blood chemistry, etc.
GLOBALLY ABUNDANT, CHEAP RENEWABLE ENERGY
Continued advancements in solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, and localized grids will drive humanity towards cheap, abundant, and ubiquitous renewable energy. the democratization of both new and traditional storage technologies will grant energy abundance to everyone.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY
This next decade, a new generation of insurance providers will leverage the convergence of machine learning, ubiquitous sensors, low-cost genome sequencing, and robotics to detect risk, prevent disaster, and guarantee safety before any costs are incurred.
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND FLYING CARS
This metatrend will be driven by the plummeting cost of transportation, transformation of real estate, finance, insurance, and urban planning by the convergence of machine learning, sensors, materials science, battery storage improvements, and ubiquitous gigabit connections.
BIRTH OF “INSTANT ECONOMY OF THINGS”
Driven by the convergence of networks, 3D printing, robotics, deployment of regional on-demand digital manufacturing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. individualized products will be obtained within hours, anywhere, anytime.
ABILITY TO SENSE AND KNOW ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
Rise of terrestrial, atmospheric, and space-based sensors, vast data networks, and machine learning and being inclusive in a global sensor matrix, together with allowing us to know anything, anytime, anywhere.
DISRUPTION OF ADVERTISING
Disruption of marketing tactics used by advertisers to influence decision making by the convergence of machine learning, sensors, vast data networks, development of Al-based analytics, augmented reality, and 5G/networks.
DEVELOPMENT IN CELLULAR AGRICULTURE
Enabled with the birth of the most ethical, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable consumable products by the convergence of biotechnology, materials science, machine learning, and AgriTech.
HIGH-BANDWIDTH BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACES (BCIS)
By the progress in fueled connecting the human neocortex to the cloud, supplementing their baseline cognitive abilities by the convergence of materials science, machine learning, and robotics.
TRANSFORMATION IN SHOPPING DUE TO VR
This metatrend is enabled by convergence development in AI, complex data analysis, VR, machine learning, and high-bandwidth networks. High-resolution, lightweight virtual reality headsets will be the new normal of each and every household.
INCREASED FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
An increase in global environmental awareness and concern over global warming will drive companies to invest in sustainability. Enabled by Al, will allow companies to drive tremendous reductions in waste and environmental contamination.
CRISPR AND GENE THERAPIES WILL MINIMIZE DISEASE
Gene-editing continue to advance in precision and ease of use, allowing families to treat and ultimately cure many inheritable genetic diseases. This metatrend is driven by the convergence of various biotechnologies (CRISPR, gene therapy), genome sequencing, and artificial intelligence.